I recently asked my grandmother how was it that I had become an adult. I was feeling frazzled and at wits end with all of the responsibilities that I was feeling like had been thrust upon me. All sorry for myself and full of "life's not fair"
She looked at me and said:
You become an adult when there is something that needs doing; when you look around for a grown up to do it, you find none, so you do it yourself.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Text from my Toast at Beer Bash's Wake
I would like to raise a glass
We are not here tonight to mourn Beer Bash's passing, but to celebrate his life.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a friend.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a teacher.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a fighter.
To some Beer Bash was merely a fire spewing, fighting beer keg. Nothing more than a mad creation trading incredible hits in the robotic combat arena. But to me Beer Bash was so much more.
For Beer Bash brought me my dear friends Avish, Bruce, Phil, and Susan, and I thank him for this gift.
As we built Beer Bash, Beer Bash in turn taught us. Which I suppose, being a school project, was the point. Beer bash taught us engineering skills, and machining skills. Beer Bash also encouraged us to learn from each-other. This was part of the curriculum at SF State. Beer bash was expected to teach us these things, and we got a grade for it. But Beer Bash taught us more than this, beer bash taught us about taking different paths to victory. Beer bash taught us that you can walk into a competition fully expecting to lose, then lose indeed, lose big, but still be able to call it a victory.
Beer Bash was always very proud of his fighting record. He did not win many fights, but he did win some and this, for his humble beginnings, is something. I think that being made in a public school shop by students taught Beer Bash an important lesson that he carried into the ring for every fight. Nothing is given, if you want to succeed you have to fight for it.
And fight he did. He got in the ring every single time his card was up, no matter what he faced, he fought out of weight class, he fought opponents that out classed him, he fought. It was not until the very last battle that he could not muster the strength to climb into the ring one last time.
After dozens of fights on two continents Beer Bash missed his last fight.
So tonight I raise my glass to Beer Bash's toast:
Drink!! Then fight.
We are not here tonight to mourn Beer Bash's passing, but to celebrate his life.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a friend.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a teacher.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a fighter.
To some Beer Bash was merely a fire spewing, fighting beer keg. Nothing more than a mad creation trading incredible hits in the robotic combat arena. But to me Beer Bash was so much more.
For Beer Bash brought me my dear friends Avish, Bruce, Phil, and Susan, and I thank him for this gift.
As we built Beer Bash, Beer Bash in turn taught us. Which I suppose, being a school project, was the point. Beer bash taught us engineering skills, and machining skills. Beer Bash also encouraged us to learn from each-other. This was part of the curriculum at SF State. Beer bash was expected to teach us these things, and we got a grade for it. But Beer Bash taught us more than this, beer bash taught us about taking different paths to victory. Beer bash taught us that you can walk into a competition fully expecting to lose, then lose indeed, lose big, but still be able to call it a victory.
Beer Bash was always very proud of his fighting record. He did not win many fights, but he did win some and this, for his humble beginnings, is something. I think that being made in a public school shop by students taught Beer Bash an important lesson that he carried into the ring for every fight. Nothing is given, if you want to succeed you have to fight for it.
And fight he did. He got in the ring every single time his card was up, no matter what he faced, he fought out of weight class, he fought opponents that out classed him, he fought. It was not until the very last battle that he could not muster the strength to climb into the ring one last time.
After dozens of fights on two continents Beer Bash missed his last fight.
So tonight I raise my glass to Beer Bash's toast:
Drink!! Then fight.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Farmer Browns: Brunch Saturday.
New section "Restaurant Reviews".
I love food! And I go to a lot of restaurants (too much probably). So, I am going to start reviewing restaurants I go to. Here is the format
Farmer Brown's
The coffee is weak,
The biscuits are fantastic,
Hipsters everywhere.
I love food! And I go to a lot of restaurants (too much probably). So, I am going to start reviewing restaurants I go to. Here is the format
Farmer Brown's
The coffee is weak,
The biscuits are fantastic,
Hipsters everywhere.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Beer Bash 2006-2009
Dear friends and family,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of a friend, brother, and warrior. Beer Bash passed last night at the age of 4 years. For a robot, 4 years is a long life, and Beer Bash lived them richly. He fought in 9 tournaments in the United States and India. He did not win many of his fights, but he always fought hard. And when he did win he won decisively. Win or lose his over 20 fights only went to the judges two times.
Beer Bash died as he lived, fighting. He suffered fatal injuries in his first fight of Combots 09 against the Mortician, a foe he has fought before. However this time he could not keep the Mortician's blade away from his shell, and took almost 10 massive hits, and overheated his speed controllers and had to tap out.
However Beer Bash's indomitable spirit could not be killed so easily. He limped back in to the ring against Pipe Wench with a bent frame, loose motor and his keg literally torn open (bandaged to keep his flame out). He did not win this fight. But he did FIGHT! Even when his gear box completely stripped, he was able to hold his flame on his opponent and make her hurt, but once he was in the corner with only one motor he just could not escape, and was counted out. This was to be his last fight.
Beer Bash is survived by 5 parents (Avish, Bruce, Josh, Phil, and Susan), 2 children (The suicide bots), and an unborn sibling on the way.
An announcement will be made with regards to a memorial service.
Beer Bash's last words were "Drink, then fight"
It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of a friend, brother, and warrior. Beer Bash passed last night at the age of 4 years. For a robot, 4 years is a long life, and Beer Bash lived them richly. He fought in 9 tournaments in the United States and India. He did not win many of his fights, but he always fought hard. And when he did win he won decisively. Win or lose his over 20 fights only went to the judges two times.
Beer Bash died as he lived, fighting. He suffered fatal injuries in his first fight of Combots 09 against the Mortician, a foe he has fought before. However this time he could not keep the Mortician's blade away from his shell, and took almost 10 massive hits, and overheated his speed controllers and had to tap out.
However Beer Bash's indomitable spirit could not be killed so easily. He limped back in to the ring against Pipe Wench with a bent frame, loose motor and his keg literally torn open (bandaged to keep his flame out). He did not win this fight. But he did FIGHT! Even when his gear box completely stripped, he was able to hold his flame on his opponent and make her hurt, but once he was in the corner with only one motor he just could not escape, and was counted out. This was to be his last fight.
Beer Bash is survived by 5 parents (Avish, Bruce, Josh, Phil, and Susan), 2 children (The suicide bots), and an unborn sibling on the way.
An announcement will be made with regards to a memorial service.
Beer Bash's last words were "Drink, then fight"
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Uncle Eel's 36 Hour Switching Trowie
So, I wanted to make some throwies for pumpkin carving but don't like a few things about them.
1) I measured the LED hooked up to my 3V batterie at 50mA. For my 180 mAH charge that would only give 3.6 hours
2) Pumpkin carving will be the day before Halloween, so I wanted a switch.
3) Using tape to preload the LED wire to a flat surface is not reliable.
So adding a 220 ohm resister should give a 36 hour light, I measured 5 mA (From Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories).
Solving the other problems went something like this:
Placing 2 pennies over the LED/resister leads to preload them to the battery
Using a rubber band to hold the LED lead against the resister with the penny backing it up.
Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.
1) I measured the LED hooked up to my 3V batterie at 50mA. For my 180 mAH charge that would only give 3.6 hours
2) Pumpkin carving will be the day before Halloween, so I wanted a switch.
3) Using tape to preload the LED wire to a flat surface is not reliable.
So adding a 220 ohm resister should give a 36 hour light, I measured 5 mA (From Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories).
Solving the other problems went something like this:
Placing 2 pennies over the LED/resister leads to preload them to the battery
Using a rubber band to hold the LED lead against the resister with the penny backing it up.
Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.
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